The death Jesus died
Intro: Today is Palm Sunday. It’s the Sunday before Jesus death and resurrection. It’s the day we call the triumphant entry into Jerusalem as the promised messiah. It was the day they publicly proclaimed Him as messiah. It was the day he publicly admitted he was messiah. In such a way the Pharisees told him to stop they were afraid. They didn’t want Him king. He said the stones will cry out. I can’t stop what already is and if you won’t proclaim me king the rocks will.
* People were cheering.
* They were happy.
* The kingdom of God was ready to be established.
* But it’s funny because 1 week later these people who proclaimed Him king stood around and watched Him die a brutal death.
* Some in the crowed might have shouted crucify Him.
But what I want to focus on today is not his triumphant entry but the brutal events that led up to his crucifixion. Because without His death we wouldn’t have a resurrection. And without the resurrection we wouldn’t have new life.
I. Let’s start in the garden/He was scared
* The night before his death Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane. It’s a popular story.
* He was praying.
* The scripture tells us that his heart was troubled.
* Basically he was scared. He knew what he was facing.
* He knew what was coming and he was praying. He was praying for strength.
* He was praying probably for courage. But we know one thing for sure he was praying for the cup to be taken from Him. He was terrified.
* We know this because of the blood that the scripture says was pouring from His head.
Luke 22:44 (NASB)
44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
Hema-ti-dro-sis occurs when emotional strain is so intense the capillaries near the surface of the skin burst and the resulting blood mixes with the sweat. Hence the term hes sweating blood.
So he prays lord please can you find another way. But if not its ok let your will be done.
Window: How many times do we fail here? God asks us to do something and we are unwilling because of the cost? Tithing. Evangelism.
He gets up resolved to go to the cross.
He is betrayed by Judas. Someone he trusted that’s got to hurt.
II. Then he is taken to Annas and Caiaphas.
John 18:12-14 (NIV)
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Annas was the former high priest Rome
disposed of him in A.D. 15. Now Caiaphas his son in law was the official high priest but it is recorded that much of the influence came fro Annas.
He is questioned by both annas and Caiaphas and he refuses to answer completely either of then, He says you hear all I said plainly. I spoke nothing in secret ask anyone what I said.
Luke 22:67-68 (NIV)
67 "If you are the Christ," they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer.
Basically, you have already made up your minds. Nothing I say is going to change anything
Window: Many are the same way when it comes to Jesus. There is nothing I could say or anyone to change their minds. There mind is made up. Same for us who believe. Nothing you could say. Our minds are made up.
So they start to beat him and slap Him. He is bound and the scripture tells us this is where the beats started.
Luke 22:63-65 (NIV)
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?" 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.
Matthew 26:67-68 (NIV)
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"
Before the sun came up Jesus had already been pummeled at the hands of the religious leaders and temple guards.
III. They send him to Pilot
Pontius pilot is one of the best known men in history but not for what he done but for his failure to protect a man he already deemed innocent.
They bring Jesus to Him because they aren’t allowed to kill him. They already decided this must be done but they needed Pilot to do so. So they trump up three charges to get him to kill jesus
1. Subverting the Jewish nation. Stirring up trouble
2. opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar
3. claiming to be the messiah king
But Pilot new that he was being manipulated and didn’t want to do anything by being manipulated by Jews that he hated. So he sent him to Herod
This was the only stage of Jesus trial that he didn’t receive punishment.
IV. Herod was entertainment
He gets to Herod and there all mocking him. Here was Jesus a battered man standing before Herod and all Herod wanted him to do was perform tricks for him. His desire was to be entertained.
Window: Can you picture how that must have felt? All beaten down and he wanted to be entertained. It’s the same way in America. We come to church not to receive or experience Christ. We come to be entertained. I was talking with someone the other day and we were wondering why we can’t get commitment to church and we decided that we need to some how keep the message of Christ but also entertain people.
Herod and His soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him.
* Means treated with contempt.
* Put a robe on Him and sent him back to pilot. It said Herod and Pilot became friends that day.
V. Back to Pilot
* He declared him innocent and said he would punish him. Scourge him
* But the crowed said no.
* They shouted they wanted Barabbas release.
* Jewish custom a prisoner would be released on the Passover
* They wanted a criminal
* Two men charged with insurrection
* One innocent one guilty
* Barabbas wanted a political kingdom Jesus wanted a spiritual one
* Barabbas was already sentence to die on the cross
* Jesus took his place
* He went free because Jesus took his place
* Barabbas was me and you.
* Jesus paid for our sins. He went to the cross for us
Then he was handed over to be scourged
* We know it was brutal and horrible.
* We know it left him so weak he couldn’t carry his own cross
* The passion of the Christ depicted the scene
* Jesus was beaten half to death
* Then he was mocked some more
* Made fun of him more
* Beet him some more
* Put another robe on him
* And a crown of thorns on his head
* They beet on it
* And was given a reed for a scepter
* Think of what was going through his mind at this time
* Can you see why he was asking for the cup to be taken from him?
* Do you see why blood poured from his head
We don’t know how long it lasted. But it was excruciating
Isaiah 50:6 (NIV)
6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
VI. Taken to the Cross
Jesus explains his pain through prophesy
Eli Eli Lema Sa-bach-thani
He says “MY God my God why have though forsaken me”
Many think he is asking God something. But he wasn’t he was telling the people something. He was repeating the psalms how it predicted his death and situation.
Psalms 22:14-18 (NIV)
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
* They break his legs to speed up the death.
* They piece his side to make sure he was dead
* They take him down. Pull out the nails
* And there lies our savior.
The image is humbling. This is what Jesus did for me and you.
Isaiah 53:3-9 (NIV)
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Jesus told of the beating he would endure a few times in his ministry.
* He knew it was coming he knew the details.
* But still he went.
* For you and me and for that no words can express the necessary gratitude.
Maybe one way would be to have the courage to tell someone…
